ZETDC doubles electricity tariffs

The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company has today increased electricity tariffs by 50%.

This is in accordance with the tariff award of 2 October, which approved the implementation of monthly power tariff increases.

This followed another increase last month, which came after it had already raised tariffs by 50% on September, 23 2020 to bring its rates in line with inflation running above 700%.

These increases would have hit residents heavily, whose salaries have lagged inflation, while businesses could pass on the cost to consumers.

Speaking at that time, the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) said in a letter to ZETDC that the government had okayed the “outstanding tariff adjustments.”

ZERA chief executive Edington Mazambani confirmed the increases.

Last year in October, the power company hiked the average electricity tariff by 320% in a bid to ramp up production and improve supplies.

Zimbabwe has managed to keep the lights on since March after businesses were either shut or cut production after a government imposed lockdown to curb the COVID-19 pandemic.

Below are the new charges: